Federal Library Funding: Share the story of what’s at stake for your library and community

Late yesterday, the Trump Administration demanded a disastrous mandatory pause on most federal grants and loans, including those directly impacting libraries and library services. ALA and its coalition partners are actively exploring legal and policy responses as the impact is pervasive across programs and communities. From cutting off funding for hotspot lending
to homework help for students and research grants for new innovations, we know the impacts of this freeze are disastrous for libraries and the communities we serve.

One thing every library advocate can do right now to make a difference is to gather information about library-related federal grants (current and recent past) and characterize why the funded project is important to your community, to the nation, and/or to broader society. What are the particular impacts or outcomes achieved or expected through these federal investments in library programs, services, staff, and other resources?

These impacts are likely both granular (e.g., lost jobs, contract defaults, and related economic impacts) and big picture (reduced public access to literacy, learning, and technology resources that support education, jobs, and healthcare). Sharing these impacts with ALA today will immediately strengthen our advocacy at the national, as well as state and local levels. The specific and concrete details are powerful.

This effort also will strengthen our collective ability to target key legislators and effectively mobilize our grassroots in the near and longer term.

We know that this news brings uncertainty to not only libraries and our patrons but to all community members who provide or rely on a broad range of services funded by the federal government. ALA is committed to working with allies across sectors to reverse this funding freeze and will provide new opportunities for advocates to take action as the situation develops.

Thank you for showing up for libraries, library workers, and everyone we serve.

ALA’s Public Policy & Advocacy Team